This is the most entertaining Leafs since early 2000´s. Maybe lacks characters like Tucker and McCabe but on the other hand top offensive players are better.
Looks so so promising in terms of the cup. I would say that if this core enters their prime with another top defenceman.... How can they not win at least once in the next 6-7 years?
Auston has been pretty dreadful defensively so far this season, and he's been closer to our worst player by possession (unless you mean something else than shot metrics) than our best.Combine Zetterberg and Datsyuk together and add an elite shot. The product is Auston Matthews this year, putting it all together so far for the first time.
Best defensive player on the team (including defenseman) best possession player, his weakest aspect is the power play. He could kill penalties at a top level if we needed that as well no doubt in my mind
I think Matthews is very good defensively from an individual standpoint, but the team based metrics like corsi aren't good. he can do everything you want from a player in terms of winning puck battles all over the ice, winning faceoffs, stripping the puck, and recovering loose pucks in every zone. he's strong at backchecking and is good at getting into shooting and passing lanes. I am sure it will eventually lead into stronger metricsAuston has been pretty dreadful defensively so far this season, and he's been closer to our worst player by possession (unless you mean something else than shot metrics) than our best.
I'm sure he could PK though. Granted, I'm of the opinion that player ability to influence PK results is fairly limited. There's very few players that significantly alter short-handed results. It's mostly a question of being willing to do the job, and then executing the system.
Talking about his career, I absolutely agree. Completely. However, so far this season he's taken quite a few shortcuts that lesser players would be hung for. Once engaged, he's been good. However, there's been a lot of times so far that he's not where he should be, where he doesn't stay with his guy all the way.I think Matthews is very good defensively from an individual standpoint, but the team based metrics like corsi aren't good. he can do everything you want from a player in terms of winning puck battles all over the ice, winning faceoffs, stripping the puck, and recovering loose pucks in every zone. he's strong at backchecking and is good at getting into shooting and passing lanes. I am sure it will eventually lead into stronger metrics
Auston has been pretty dreadful defensively so far this season, and he's been closer to our worst player by possession (unless you mean something else than shot metrics) than our best.
I'm sure he could PK though. Granted, I'm of the opinion that player ability to influence PK results is fairly limited. There's very few players that significantly alter short-handed results. It's mostly a question of being willing to do the job, and then executing the system.
My comment about his defensive work has absolutely nothing to do with any shot metrics. I don't do shot metrics in small sample sizes, I find that useless. I definitely don't base it on the box score. Your whole counter to my point has been based on a erroneous assumption.Quotes like this is why, especially in smaller sample sizes like we've had this season, we need to put more emphasis on the game less on the box score/corsi. But even if we did only watch the box score, I would think people would notice that Auston's puck luck defensively this season has been worse than his offensive puck luck has been good (starting to trend back upwards though)
In short, Auston has been nothing remotely close to resembling dreadful defensively so far this season.
Take last night for example, he got out corsi'd in a big way, that whole line did, and the whole team did, yet you're kidding yourself if you think the Leafs didn't vastly outplay the Kings, and Matthews and his line definitely outplayed to Kopitar line with Doughty back up - offensively and defensively, just take a look at the heat map from last night, Kings were taking weak shots from everywhere while we had a large concentration of shots in the slot and around the net and barely even shot from low danger areas in the offensive zone.
Matthews has been our most reliable forward recovering the puck in the D zone and then transitioning it out so far, not saying he's been amazing on that side of the puck so far, but he's certainly been very far away from "dreadful" thus far.
To some extent. What feels problematic about where the Leafs are at is even when they have generated offence, they are overly reliant on the power play. At 5-on-5, Toronto is producing a very average 2.8 goals per 60, which is low given their personnel.
The Leafs are also average in possession (50.2 CF%) and sit 19th in shots per minute (29.3) at even strength.
You can make the argument that they’re one of best special teams teams in the NHL early on, as the results even on the penalty kill are there. But these Leafs look a little ordinary at even strength.
Part of the issue, as Jonas Siegel hits on today, is their forward depth. No William Nylander (and James van Riemsdyk) means weaker wingers for both Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri.
Statistically, the two most alarming things you can see in the Leafs’ even-strength results are (a) what is happening with the Gardiner-Zaitsev pairing and (b) the Matthews line. Both are getting outshot and outchanced. Both are eating tough matchups and not exactly excelling night to night.
WPG starting their backup.Big game Saturday night, I expect WPG to come out angry and flying. GLG!!
10 games in, Leafs are last in PP Opportunities / GP.
One of the NHL's top scoring teams is last in PP opps.... go figure...
As much as I want to blame a conspiracy, I think other teams are being extremely careful of taking penalties against us
As much as I want to blame a conspiracy, I think other teams are being extremely careful of taking penalties against us
I'd take this argument a lot more seriously if we weren't getting hit with such chintzy calls.As much as I want to blame a conspiracy, I think other teams are being extremely careful of taking penalties against us
The Leafs entered the season as a Stanley Cup contender and the expectations that came with it. I think some were expecting the Leafs to go 82-0 but that never happens. We're 10 games into the season and there is a lot to like about this Leafs team and a lot of question marks...
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HockeyIntangibles: Toronto Maple Leafs 2018-19 season: 10 Games In
Hope you enjoy guys, Go Leafs Go
As much as I want to blame a conspiracy, I think other teams are being extremely careful of taking penalties against us